Archery, whether grounded in target shooting or hunting, has maintained popularity over the years. Along with this popularity, many features have been developed to improve the use, accuracy and power of an archery bow. One such add-on is the wrist sling (also referred to as an archery sling or simply, a sling) which is positioned over or around the wrist of a user. Typically, the sling is secured to the bow, commonly at a location near the hand grip of the bow to easily accommodate the user's wrist. During use, a wrist sling keeps the bow connected to the user when the user releases the grip of the bow whether intentionally or by accident. For example, the archery community has concluded that merely bracing the grip with your hand, rather than actually gripping the grip, is an integral part of accurate arrow shooting. Of course, by not gripping the bow, the bow will fall out of the user's hand upon release of the tension on the bow string, and thus release of the arrow. As such, the sling keeps the bow connected to the user's arm for simplified and more efficient reloading as well as preventing the bow from falling to the ground—a particular issue when for example the user is positioned up in a tree while hunting.
Further, current slings known in the prior art are affixed to bows using brackets having locking screws, or the like, such that a hunter must carry with him an appropriate tool or instrument to adjust (tighten or loosen) the locking screws to adjust the sling as desired. This is often a problem when the locking screws loosen during use and the hunter must tighten the locking screws during the hunt. This can be particularly troublesome if the hunter forgets to bring the tool along for the hunt.
Another issue faced in archery is vibration or harmonic forces due primarily to the use of the bow (e.g., release of an arrow). Current prior art add-ons include harmonic or vibration dampeners that are attached to the bow and which are intended to reduce such forces. However, such dampeners are cumbersome, add weight to the bow, and increase the difficulty in maneuvering the bow due to the dampener extending from the bow. This, again, is a particular problem when hunting and, for example, positioned within the branches of the tree, such that the dampener could get snagged on a branch while maneuvering the bow.
As such, current add-ons such as wrist slings and associated brackets and vibration dampeners can be difficult to adjust, can be cumbersome, and may interfere with the use of the bow. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved features, such as wrist slings and brackets, that overcome many of these deficiencies.